By Doug Helton, Office of Response and Restoration
At the end of each year, we reflect on the response events and activities we supported. In 2022, we provided scientific support to the Coast Guard and other federal responders for a wide range of scenarios — remotely when possible, and on-scene when needed.
Our first call of 2022 came on Jan. 9. The Coast Guard Sector New York notified the NOAA scientific support coordinator that a 45-foot sport fishing vessel, the Time Out, broke loose from its mooring and grounded on Sandy Hook National Seashore in New Jersey.
When oil or chemicals spill into coastal U.S. waters, the U.S. Coast Guard is the primary federal government agency charged with overseeing the response. To assist them, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration is mandated to provide science-based expertise to help them make informed decisions during these emergency operations.
